Guzmania plant named ‘Aureus’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Guzmania  cultivar named ‘Aureus’ is disclosed, characterized a compact plant habit, and unique bright yellow bracts.

Latin name of the genus and species: Guzmania hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Aureus’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program. The newvariety originated from a cross pollination of the seed parent, anunnamed proprietary variety of Guzmania hybrid with the pollen parentGuzmania lingulata, directed by the inventor in October of 2004.

‘Aureus’ was discovered by the inventor, Rolf Kurt Zornig, in October2006 in Campinas, Brazil in a group of seedlings resulting from the 2004crossing.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘Aureus’ was first performed inCampinas, Brazil by tissue culture in July 2007. ‘Aureus’ has sinceproduced several generations by micro-propagation and has shown that theunique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘Aureus’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Aureus’ These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Aureus’ as a new and distinct Guzmaniacultivar:

-   -   1. Compact plant shape.    -   2. Long inflorescence.    -   3. Yellow inflorescence color.    -   4. Suitability as an indoor pot plant.

PARENTAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘Aureus’ are similar to both parent varietiesin most horticultural characterisitics. However, ‘Aureus’ differs fromboth the seed and pollen parents in having a more compact plant shapeand longer inflorescence.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

‘Aureus’ can be compared to the patented commercial variety Guzmania‘Deplakar,’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,754. Plants of ‘Deplakar’ are similarto plants of ‘Aureus’ in most horticultural characteristics, however,‘Aureus’ has shorter, narrow foliage, scape and terminal bracts moreyellow than orange-yellow in color.

‘Aureus’ can be compared to the unpatented commercial variety Guzmania‘Marjan’ Plants of ‘Marjan’ are similar to plants of ‘Aureus’ in mosthorticultural characteristics, however, ‘Aureus’ has a widerinflorescence, and a shorter overall plant height than ‘Marjan’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color atypical plant of ‘Aureus’ grown in a greenhouse in Florida. This plantis approximately 1 year old, shown in a 6 inch pot. The photograph wastaken using conventional techniques and although colors may appeardifferent from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurateas possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘Aureus’ plants grown in a climate controlledgreenhouse in Miami, Fla. Temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 28° C.night and day. No artificial light, photoperiodic treatments or chemicaltreatments were given to the plants. Measurements and numerical valuesrepresent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Guzmania hybrid. ‘Aureus’.-   Age of the plant described: Approximately 1 year.-   Container size of the plant described: 6 inch.

PLANT

-   Growth habit: Upright, arching, forming compact rosettes around a    single axis. Single, straight, upright inflorescence arising from    the center of plant.-   Height: Approximately 20 cm in a 6 inch pot, measured from the soil    level of the pot.-   Plant spread: Approximately 39 cm in a 6 inch pot.-   Normal pot size: 4″, 6″, 8″ pots.-   Growth rate: Moderate.-   Branching characteristics: Upright, non-branching.-   Number of leaves per stem: Approximately 26.-   Stem length: Approximately 7.5 cm.-   Stem width: Approximately 4.5 cm.-   Stem color: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144D.-   Stem texture: Smooth.-   Age of plant described: Approximately 1 year.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:    -   -   Arrangement.—Whorled, single occurring basal rosettes.        -   Average length.—Approximately 18.2 cm.        -   Average width.—Approximately 2.5 cm.        -   Shape of blade.—Ligulate.        -   Aspect.—Slightly recurved.        -   Apex.—Apiculate.        -   Base.—Sheathing. Sheath length: Average 3.2 cm Sheath width:            Average 3.2 cm. Sheath color: Near RHS Yellow-Green 145D.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture of top surface.—Smooth, slightly glossy.        -   Texture of bottom surface.—Smooth, slightly glossy.        -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Coloration divided into 3            sections: ⅓ leaf blade closest to apex: Near RHS            Yellow-Green 144A. Middle ⅓ section: Near RHS N144C, very            thin, margin Red-Purple 59C. ⅓ leaf blade closest to base:            Near RHS Yellow-Green 145C, very thin margin Red-Purple 59C.            Young foliage under side: Coloration divided into 3            sections: ⅓ leaf blade closest to apex: Near RHS            Yellow-Green 144A. Middle ⅓ section: Near RHS N144C., very            thin, margin Red-Purple 59C. ⅓ leaf blade closest to base:            Near RHS Yellow-Green 145C, very thin margin Red-Purple 59C.            Mature foliage upper side: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144A.            Mature foliage under side: Near RHS Green 138A.        -   Venation.—Type: Parallel. Venation coloration:            Indistinguishable from foliage coloration.-   Petiole: Not present, sessile.

INFLORESCENCE

-   General description: Simple spike(scape) consisting of many bracts    only. No individual flowers are visible. Spike emerges from the    centre of the rosette. Inflorescence is formed by conspicuous    bracts.    -   -   Inflorescence height, excluding scape.—Approximately 8.5 cm.        -   Inflorescence width.—Approximately 14.5 cm.        -   Inflorescence lastingness.—Approximately 5 to 6 months.-   Scape:    -   -   Length.—Approximately 9 cm.        -   Width.—Approximately 1.5 cm.        -   Aspect.—Very straight, Approximately 75° angle to rosette.        -   Strength.—Very strong.        -   Color.—Near RHS Yellow 2C.-   Bracts:    -   -   Scape/lowermost bracts.—Shape: Ligulate. Length:            Approximately 10.1 cm, excluding sheath. Width:            Approximately 3.1 cm. Quantity: Average 4. Tip: Acute. Base:            Sheathed. Sheath length: Approximately 2.1 cm Sheath width:            Approximately 4 cm. Sheath color: Near RHS Yellow 13D.            Margin: Entire. Color upperside: Tip coloration near RHS            Yellow-Green 144A, thin margin near RHS Red-Purple 59C,            steaks near Yellow 13C, blotches year Red-Purple 59C. Most            of blade near RHS Yellow-Orange 15D with fine streaks near            Red-Purple 59C. Color underside: Tip coloration near RHS            Yellow-Green 144B, thin margin near RHS Red-Purple 59C,            steaks near Yellow-Orange 15D, blotches year Red-Purple 59C.            Most of blade near RHS Yellow-Orange 15D with fine streaks            near Red-Purple 59C.        -   Terminal bracts.—Shape: Ligulate. Length: Approximately 10.1            cm, excluding sheath. Width: Approximately 3.1 cm. Quantity:            Average 12. Tip: Acute. Base: Sheathed. Sheath length:            Approximately 2.1 cm. Sheath width: Approximately 4 cm.            Sheath color: Near RHS Yellow 13D. Margin: Entire.            Coloration terminal bracts: Upperside: Near RHS            Yellow-Orange 17B, becoming lighter toward base, to            Yellow-Orange 15C. Underside: Near RHS Yellow-Orange 21C,            becoming lighter toward base, to Yellow-Orange 15D. To date,            true flowers have not been observed. As no true flowers have            been observed to date, the reproductive organs have not been            observed for description.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Disease resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to    diseases or pests has been observed in this variety.-   Drought tolerance and cold tolerance: Observed to tolerate    temperatures to 40° C. without any negative effects. Temperature    tolerance above this range has not been observed. Tolerance of cold    temperatures has not been observed.-   Fruit/seed production: Not observed.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Guzmania plant named ‘Aureus’ asherein illustrated and described.